Public Assistance
Federal Public Assistance Program
Under the Public Assistance program, FEMA awards grants to assist state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations with the response to and recovery from disasters. The program provides funding for debris removal, implementation of emergency protective measures and permanent restoration of instrastructure. The program also encourages protection from future damage by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. The state works with FEMA to manage the program and administer the funding.*
For all disasters declared after Oct. 1, 2011, the State must have sustained the minimum amount of damages statewide (according to FEMA regulations) of $1.35 per capita, or $4,112,579.25, to qualify for Public Assistance funding. Once this statewide minimum has been met, then the qualifying amount of damages per capita in each county must reach at least $3.39.
Typically, damage must first meet the state qualifier before the county qualifier is applied. Click on the tabs for more information about applying for Public Assistance for the most recent disasters.
Disaster 4018 (Severe Storms and Flooding)
July 27-29, 2011
Dubuque and Jackson counties
Apply for Public Assistance for Presidential Disaster 4018
Funding has been made available throught a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred in Iowa July 27-29, 2011. Public Assistance is available for the following counties: Dubuque and Jackson.
Applicant Briefings
Disaster 4016 (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding)
July 9-14, 2011
Benton, Clay, Dickinson, Marshall, Story and Tama counties
Apply for Public Assistance for Presidential Disaster 4016
Funding has been made available throught a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding that occurred in Iowa July 9-14, 2011. Public Assistance is available for the following counties: Benton, Clay, Dickinson, Marshall, Story and Tama.
Applicant Briefings (Aug. 31, 2011)
Disaster 1998 (Floods)
May 25-Aug. 1, 2011
Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties
Apply for Public Assistance for Presidential Disaster 1998
Funding has been made available throught a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the flooding that which began in Iowa on May 25, 2011. Public Assistance is available for the following counties: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury.
Applicant Briefings (July 7-8, 2011)
Disaster 1977 (Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Straight-Line Winds)
April 9-10, 2011
Buena Vista, Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Pocahontas and Sac counties
Apply for Public Assistance for Presidential Disaster 1977
Funding has been made available throught a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the severe storms, tornadoes and straight-line winds that moved through the state April 9-10, 2011. Public Assistance is available for the following counties: Buena Vista, Cherokee, Ida, Monona, Pocahontas and Sac.
HSEMD Public Assistance Contacts
For those applicants who currently have open projects from previous disasters and require assistance, please see the map for Public Assistance Contacts, or email one of the contacts below:
- Area 1: Bruce Riesberg (Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Floyd, Grundy, Howard, Jackson, Jones, Mitchell and Winneshiek counties)
- Area 2A: Jerald Ballanger (Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello and Washington counties)
- Area 2B: Larry Gioffredi (Benton and Linn counties)
- Area 3: Jim Wiese (Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Clarke, Crawford, Dallas, Decatur, Fremont, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Shelby, Tama, Taylor, Union, Warren, Wayne counties)
- Area 4: Scott Stanley (Buena Vista, Boone, Calhoun, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Sioux, Story, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth, Wright counties)
- Drainage Districts/Utilities: Jim Berg
- State Agencies/Private Non-Profit Agencies: Dan Egnor
*The "large project" threshold for disasters declared after Oct. 1, 2011, is $66,400.
